How to Be A Digital Minimalist in a Digital Maximalist World

In the last two decades, we have experienced a radical change in how we interact with each other and how we use our time, as more and more aspects of our lives have been digitalised.

This process has brought up some benefits, such as:

• certain democratisation of the access and production of information,
• the possibility of being more in contact with loved ones at a distance,
• the possibility of working remotely
• a wider access to clients and products

However, many people (including myself) feel that the digitalisation process has also reduced our personal autonomy. Common complaints include:

• Constant distraction and repeated interruptions
• Behavioural addiction to digital technologies such as smartphones, social media, pornography, and video games
• Extending working hours beyond office hours
• Lowering self-esteem by the frequent visualisation of curated profiles of people who seem to be doing much better than oneself
• Sleep disturbance

The logical question from the above lists of benefits and costs is whether it is possible to get most of the benefits of digital devices while avoiding the costs.

In my view, it is possible through a particular form of life design known as digital minimalism.

In the words of Cal Newport, Digital minimalism is “a philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimised activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else”.

Newport published a book on the topic in 2019. However, the digital ecosystem has evolved since then, with the popularisation of Generative Artificial Intelligence, the shift towards more video on social media, and the greater reliance on certain devices, such as smartphones, for everyday activities. These changes seem to have made it more challenging to implement digital minimalism in our lives, but the benefits of this intentional lifestyle are likely more rewarding.

In this Incomparable Dialogue, we’ll chat about how to be a digital minimalist in 2026.

Topics will include:

• The philosophical fundamentals of digital minimalism
• The scientific evidence: Do digital detoxes work?
• The practice of digital minimalism
• Personal experiences with digital minimalism
• The challenges of digital minimalism today

Suggested Reading (Optional)
If you fancy reading about the topic before the event, these resources might be of interest to you:

• Part 1 (Foundations) in Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism book
• It’s Smart Making Your Smartphone Dumb (blog post about a recent psychological intervention that measures the impact on well-being and sustained attention of removing access to the internet on smartphones)
• Living Better with Less Technology: A Life-changing Self-experiment (blog post on my initial experiences with digital minimalism)

“Incomparable Dialogues” is a discussion-based group exploring how to live intentionally in an age of distraction, complex social dynamics, and ever-growing professional demands.